Bipolar+Depression

Robyn





What is it? Bipolar disorder is a condition that causes your mood to swing back and forth between two opposite emotional states: depression and mania. If you suffer from bipolar disorder, you may experience periods of depression in which you feel sad, lonely, weak, and helpless.

Bipolar I. This form causes alternation episodes of intense mania and depression. Bipolar II. This type of bipolar disorder causes episodes of mild mania that occur between recurrent periods of depression. symptoms of the disorder include a markedly excited or irritable mood, along with increased physical and mental energy.

What causes bipolar disorder? Well experts say that it often runs in families and there is a genetic component to it. The environment and lifestyle issues have an effect on the disorder's severity. Stressful life events, alcohol or drug abuse can make bipolar disorder more difficult to treat.

Is bipolar disorder genetic? The causes of bipolar disorder have not yet been precisely determined but, genetics seem to play a large role. 80-90% of people diagnosed with bipolar disorder have a family history of either bipolar or major depression.

Is it common in families? Yes. If a loved one in a family has bipolar disorder then it can affect others and then it can cause other loved ones in the family to contain the disorder.

Bipolar disorder is a serious disorder of the brain that causes severe swings in mood, energy, thinking and behavior. Although bipolar disorder effects about 2 million adult Americans, experts aren't sure how many teens have the conditions.

After the symptoms first appear it takes about 10 years for the treatment is begun. A combination of medication and counseling can help even out a person's mood and control symptoms. Psychotherapy can greatly reduce the stress that can trigger manic and depressive episodes.

link to: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bipolar-disorder/DS00356

Work Sited: http://mentalhealth.gov/health/publications/bipolar-disorder/complete-index.shtml

Book: Living with Depression; Allen R. Miller, Ph.D.; Chapter 2